Icelandic Declensions — Cheat Sheet

The Basics

4 cases, 2 numbers, 3 genders; the definite article attaches to the noun as a suffix

Cases The four cases of Icelandic

Case	Icelandic name	Abbr.	Question	English equivalent
Nominative	Nefnifall	nf.	Hver? Hvað?	Who? What?
Genitive	Eignarfall	ef.	Hvers?	Whose? Of what?
Dative	Þágufall	þgf.	Hverjum? Hverju?	To whom? To what?
Accusative	Þolfall	þf.	Hvern? Hvað?	Whom? What?

Genders Three grammatical genders

KK Karlkyn — masculine: hestur (horse), bátur (boat)

KVK Kvenkyn — feminine: kona (woman), borg (city)

HK Hvorugkyn — neuter: barn (child), land (country)

Types Strong and weak declension

Strong declension (sterk beyging) — varied endings, typical of the majority of nouns.

Weak declension (veik beyging) — more uniform endings; the nouns usually end in a vowel in the nominative.

Umlaut Stem-vowel alternations

U-umlaut: a → ö before an ending containing u: dagur → dögum (days, dat. pl.)

I-umlaut: a → e, á → æ, o → e, ó → æ, u → y, ú → ý, jó → ý, au → ey: land → lendi

Umlaut is not always predictable — it is best to memorize the forms of each word.

Masculine — strong declension

Main types: -ur, -r, -i, -ll, -nn

KK-1 Type hestur (ending -ur)

The most common masculine type.

Singular

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	-ur	hestur
Ef.	-s	hests
Þgf.	-i	hesti
Þf.	—	hest

Plural

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	-ar	hestar
Ef.	-a	hesta
Þgf.	-um	hestum
Þf.	-a	hesta

Same pattern: bíll (car), skóli → no! dalur (valley), hundur (dog), vinur (friend)

KK-1a Type dagur (with u-umlaut)

Like hestur, but with u-umlaut (a→ö) in the dative plural.

Singular

Case	Example
Nf.	dagur
Ef.	dags
Þgf.	degi
Þf.	dag

Plural

Case	Example
Nf.	dagar
Ef.	daga
Þgf.	dögum
Þf.	daga

Same pattern: staður (place) → stöðum, garður (garden) → görðum

KK-2 Type stóll (ending -ll, -nn)

Monosyllabic words in -ll and -nn. The nf. ending is zero (the word already ends in a consonant).

Singular

Case	Example
Nf.	stóll
Ef.	stóls
Þgf.	stóli
Þf.	stól

Plural

Case	Example
Nf.	stólar
Ef.	stóla
Þgf.	stólum
Þf.	stóla

Same pattern: steinn (stone) — stein, steini, steins / steinar, steina, steinum, steina

KK-3 Type gestur (plural in -ir)

The plural is formed with the ending -ir instead of -ar.

Singular

Case	Example
Nf.	gestur
Ef.	gests
Þgf.	gesti
Þf.	gest

Plural

Case	Example
Nf.	gestir
Ef.	gesta
Þgf.	gestum
Þf.	gesti

Same pattern: staður (place) → staðir, hlutur (thing) → hlutir

Feminine — strong declension

Main types: consonant-final, -ing, -un

KVK-1 Type borg (consonant-final, plural -ir)

The most common feminine type. Nominative singular has no ending.

Singular

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	—	borg
Ef.	-ar	borgar
Þgf.	—	borg
Þf.	—	borg

Plural

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	-ir	borgir
Ef.	-a	borga
Þgf.	-um	borgum
Þf.	-ir	borgir

Same pattern: gjöf (gift), von (hope), ferð (journey)

KVK-2 Type á (vowel-final, plural -r)

Monosyllabic words ending in a long vowel.

Singular

Case	Example
Nf.	á
Ef.	ár
Þgf.	á
Þf.	á

Plural

Case	Example
Nf.	ár
Ef.	áa
Þgf.	ám
Þf.	ár

Same pattern: tá (toe), bró (bridge)

KVK-3 Type kerling (in -ing / -ung)

Words in -ing, -ung. Plural with -ar.

Singular

Case	Example
Nf.	kerling
Ef.	kerlingar
Þgf.	kerlingu
Þf.	kerlingu

Plural

Case	Example
Nf.	kerlingar
Ef.	kerlinga
Þgf.	kerlingum
Þf.	kerlingar

Same pattern: drottning (queen), þjóðsaga → no, virðing (respect), launung (secrecy)

KVK-4 Type lygun (in -un)

Words in -un. The singular is almost invariable.

Singular

Case	Example
Nf.	lygun
Ef.	lygunar
Þgf.	lygun
Þf.	lygun

Plural

Case	Example
Nf.	lyganir
Ef.	lygana
Þgf.	lygunum
Þf.	lyganir

Same pattern: spurning → no, höfnun (rejection), leynilegur → no

Neuter — strong declension

Nominative = accusative. Main types: consonant-final, -i

HK-1 Type barn (consonant-final, plural —)

Nf. = Þf. always. The plural nominative/accusative has no ending (identical to the singular) or shows a stem-vowel change.

Singular

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	—	barn
Ef.	-s	barns
Þgf.	-i	barni
Þf.	—	barn

Plural

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	—	börn
Ef.	-a	barna
Þgf.	-um	börnum
Þf.	—	börn

U-umlaut in the plural: a→ö. Same pattern: land (country) → lönd, fang (embrace) → föng

HK-2 Type orð (without umlaut)

Like barn, but without vowel alternation in the plural.

Singular

Case	Example
Nf.	orð
Ef.	orðs
Þgf.	orði
Þf.	orð

Plural

Case	Example
Nf.	orð
Ef.	orða
Þgf.	orðum
Þf.	orð

Same pattern: sumar (summer), kvöld (evening), borð (table)

HK-3 Type ríki (in -i)

Singular

Case	Example
Nf.	ríki
Ef.	ríkis
Þgf.	ríki
Þf.	ríki

Plural

Case	Example
Nf.	ríki
Ef.	ríkja
Þgf.	ríkjum
Þf.	ríki

Same pattern: hjarta (heart) → hjörtu, auga (eye) → augu, eyra (ear) → eyru

Weak declension

All three genders. The endings are more uniform.

Weak KK Type tími (masc. weak)

Masculine in -i in the nominative. A very uniform paradigm.

Singular

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	-i	tími
Ef.	-a	tíma
Þgf.	-a	tíma
Þf.	-a	tíma

Plural

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	-ar	tímar
Ef.	-a	tíma
Þgf.	-um	tímum
Þf.	-a	tíma

Same pattern: skóli (school), nemandi (student), bíll → no! penni (pen)

Weak KVK Type tunga (fem. weak)

Feminine in -a in the nominative.

Singular

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	-a	tunga
Ef.	-u	tungu
Þgf.	-u	tungu
Þf.	-u	tungu

Plural

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	-ur	tungur
Ef.	-na	tungna
Þgf.	-um	tungum
Þf.	-ur	tungur

Same pattern: stúlka (girl), gata (street), saga (story), vika (week)

Weak HK Type auga (neut. weak)

Neuter in -a in the nominative. Plural in -u.

Singular

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	-a	auga
Ef.	-a	auga
Þgf.	-a	auga
Þf.	-a	auga

Plural

Case	Ending	Example
Nf.	-u	augu
Ef.	-na	augna
Þgf.	-um	augum
Þf.	-u	augu

Same pattern: eyra (ear), hjarta (heart) → hjörtu (with u-umlaut)

Definite article

Attaches to the noun as a suffix (viðskeyttur greinir)

Rule The suffixed article — overview

The definite article is added to the end of the noun. The free-standing article hinn/hin/hið is rarely used (poetry, set expressions).

hestur → hesturinn (a horse → the horse)
kona → konan (a woman → the woman)
barn → barnið (a child → the child)

KK Masculine article

Example: hestur + article

Singular

Case	Article	Example
Nf.	-(i)nn	hesturinn
Ef.	-(i)ns	hestsins
Þgf.	-(i)num	hestinum
Þf.	-(i)nn	hestinn

Plural

Case	Article	Example
Nf.	-nir	hestarnir
Ef.	-nna	hestanna
Þgf.	-num	hestunum
Þf.	-na	hestana

KVK Feminine article

Example: borg + article

Singular

Case	Article	Example
Nf.	-(i)n	borgin
Ef.	-(i)nnar	borgarinnar
Þgf.	-(i)nni	borginni
Þf.	-(i)na	borgina

Plural

Case	Article	Example
Nf.	-nar	borgirnar
Ef.	-nna	borganna
Þgf.	-num	borgunum
Þf.	-nar	borgirnar

HK Neuter article

Example: barn + article

Singular

Case	Article	Example
Nf.	-(i)ð	barnið
Ef.	-(i)ns	barnsins
Þgf.	-(i)nu	barninu
Þf.	-(i)ð	barnið

Plural

Case	Article	Example
Nf.	-in	börnin
Ef.	-nna	barnanna
Þgf.	-num	börnunum
Þf.	-in	börnin

Adjectives

Strong declension (without the article) and weak (with the article). Adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Strong Strong declension of adjectives

Used when the noun has no definite article. Example: stór (big).

Case	M sg.	F sg.	N sg.	M pl.	F pl.	N pl.
Nf.	stór	stór	stórt	stórir	stórar	stór
Ef.	stórs	stórrar	stórs	stórra	stórra	stórra
Þgf.	stórum	stórri	stóru	stórum	stórum	stórum
Þf.	stóran	stóra	stórt	stóra	stórar	stór

stór hestur (a big horse) · stóran hest (a big horse, þf.) · stór borg (a big city) · stórt barn (a big child)

Weak Weak declension of adjectives

Used with the definite article, possessives, and demonstratives. Example: stór.

Case	M sg.	F sg.	N sg.	All genders pl.
Nf.	stóri	stóra	stóra	stóru
Ef.	stóra	stóru	stóra	stóru
Þgf.	stóra	stóru	stóra	stóru
Þf.	stóra	stóru	stóra	stóru

stóri hesturinn (the big horse [def.]) · stóra borgin (the big city [def.]) · stóra barnið (the big child [def.])

Degrees Degrees of comparison

Comparative: -ari (m), -ari (f), -ara (n).

Superlative: -astur (m), -ust (f), -ast (n).

stór → stærri → stærstur (big → bigger → biggest)
fallegur → fallegri → fallegastur (beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful)
góður → betri → bestur (good → better → best)
illur → verri → verstur (bad → worse → worst)
mikill → meiri → mestur (much/great → more → most)
lítill → minni → minnstur (little → smaller → smallest)

Pronouns

Personal, demonstrative, and possessive pronouns

Personal Personal pronouns

Case	I	you	he	she	it
Nf.	ég	þú	hann	hún	það
Ef.	mín	þín	hans	hennar	þess
Þgf.	mér	þér	honum	henni	því
Þf.	mig	þig	hann	hana	það

Case	we	you (pl.)	they (m)	they (f)	they (n)
Nf.	við	þið	þeir	þær	þau
Ef.	okkar	ykkar	þeirra	þeirra	þeirra
Þgf.	okkur	ykkur	þeim	þeim	þeim
Þf.	okkur	ykkur	þá	þær	þau

Demonstratives þessi (this) and sá (that)

Case	þessi (this)			sá (that)
	M	F	N	M	F	N
Nf.	þessi	þessi	þetta	sá	sú	það
Ef.	þessa	þessarar	þessa	þess	þeirrar	þess
Þgf.	þessum	þessari	þessu	þeim	þeirri	því
Þf.	þennan	þessa	þetta	þann	þá	það

Possessives minn (my), þinn (your), sinn (one's own, reflexive)

All decline alike, agreeing with the noun they modify.

Case	M sg.	F sg.	N sg.	M pl.	F pl.	N pl.
Nf.	minn	mín	mitt	mínir	mínar	mín
Ef.	míns	minnar	míns	minna	minna	minna
Þgf.	mínum	minni	mínu	mínum	mínum	mínum
Þf.	minn	mína	mitt	mína	mínar	mín

hesturinn minn (my horse) · bókin mín (my book) · barnið mitt (my child)

Reflexive The reflexive pronoun sig

Has no nominative form. Refers to the 3rd person (for the 1st and 2nd person, mig/þig etc. are used instead).

Case	Form
Nf.	—
Ef.	sín
Þgf.	sér
Þf.	sig